Fortson's Chapter By Chapter Bible Commentaries: Luke 2

Introduction

The life of Christ is the central focus of the entire New Testament. His birth was prophesied in the Old Testament, and those that knew of his coming patiently awaited his arrival. While not much is known about the early years of his life, we do have bits and pieces scattered throughout the gospels, that give us glimpses of what Christ's life was like prior to him starting the ministry we are mostly familiar with from the latter part of his life.

Date: c 80 – 90 AD

Writer: Luke "the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14)

Composition

Luke 2 is broken down into two main parts. Verses 1 – 39 offer a summarized look at the birth of Christ and those that awaited his coming. The first 39 verses of the chapter only cover the first 8 days of Christ's life, but a lot of important events take place in that short timeframe. Verses 40 – 52 contain the only Biblical account of pre-teen Christ, which is completely left out of Matthew, Mark, and John. Because the story of Christ's youth doesn't seem to be common knowledge, it is likely that Luke interviewed Mary, Joseph, or someone close enough to have known the story. The chapter is broken down as follows:

1.     The Birth of Jesus, the Christ in a manger.

2.     The shepherds arrive to see, bless, and praise Jesus.

3.     The Circumcision of Jesus on the 8th day.

4.     Joseph and Mary search for Jesus for 3 days.

5.     Jesus is found teaching in the temple at 12 years old.

Viewpoints

Throughout the chapter, Luke focuses on people, places, and events that took place, in order to confirm that Christ was a real person that lived in real places and interacted with real people. The historical references to Caesar Augustus' and others give us concrete timeframes as to when Christ lived.

Importance

Luke's gospel is vital in our understanding of Christ's early life, because his account is likely composed of interviews with people close to Christ, including his mother, father, and other family members.